


Comfort

by GenesisPhoenixDragon



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-01-11
Packaged: 2021-03-16 01:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28698132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GenesisPhoenixDragon/pseuds/GenesisPhoenixDragon
Summary: Levi can't Sleep and Eren chooses to help him.
Relationships: Levi/Eren Yeager
Kudos: 41





	Comfort

Eren had gone up stairs to get some water to calm himself after the dream he had but sees his Captain sitting at the table. He recoils a moment the dream still fresh in his mind.  
“Captain? It’s late. You should be asleep.”  
“Could say the same to you brat.”  
“Just need some water...”  
Eren avoided eye contact with the captain.  
“I see, I just seem to be having trouble sleeping.”  
“Right. Maybe...” Eren pauses before turning red and shaking his head as if trying to banish whatever he was thinking.   
“Never mind.” Eren goes to get his water but Levi’s voice stops him.  
“Just say what you were going to say.”  
“I just...thought I could do for you what mother use to do for me when I couldn’t sleep but...”  
“But...” Levi pressed.  
Eren’s looked away sadly.  
“I doubt you want me that close to you.”  
The bitterness and pain in Eren’s voice was not lost to Levi.  
“I have no issue with it. I’m willing to allow you to try.”  
Eren nods softly and Levi leads him to his quarters. Once Levi was in bed both men looked awkwardly as Eren sits on the edge of the bed next to him.  
“I’ll need to touch you Captain.”  
He hesitantly nods and Eren carefully running his fingers softly through Levi’s hair.  
“Forgive me if i'm not quite as good as she was. It's also been a while.”  
With that Eren began to softly sing.  
_Quiet your mind my brave soldier,_  
_you need not fight this night,_  
_the war may wage but you are not alone,_  
_rest now my warrior, you have the angels watching over you,_  
_put down your weapons, i’ll take up the fight while you rest._  
_thinks may seem dark but you are not alone._  
_Breath now, for the sun will shine again,_  
_Quiet your mind my brave soldier,_  
_you need not fight this night,_  
_The war may wage but you are not alone_  
_Rest now my warrior, you have the angels watching over you,_  
_You will never fight alone, I’ll be by your side._  
_You are safe here, so rest your head,_  
_You may be a warrior, but you can let go,_  
_Quiet your mind my brave soldier,_  
_you need not fight this night,_  
_The war may wage but you are not alone,_  
_Rest now my warrior, you have angels watching over you,_  
_And i’ll be watching over you too._  
The song ends and Eren smiles through tears he hadn’t realized were there. Seeing his Captain had fallen asleep. He pulls away and gets up, making sure his Captain was properly covered and leaves without a sound.  
Going to his cell and falling asleep.  
The next morning he goes to breakfast.  
“Eren? Are you alright you’ve been crying” Petra asked.  
He sees Levi tense from where he was listening.  
“I...Just was remembering. Good, memories of coarse, but...”  
“You miss the time of those memories.”  
“Yes but I rather have the memories, even with the sting of lost, then not have them at all. So it’s alright.”  
“That's a very mature way of looking at it Eren” She compliments.  
Eren gives her a sad smile.  
“Can I ask who you were remembering?”  
“My mother. We were very close.”  
“Well can you tell us about her, you don’t have to of course.”  
“No its fine, She was a very head strong woman, very no nonsense. But she was very caring. though I suppose I always gave her a difficult time. I remember a time I had come late and all sorts of injured. Armin had been being bullied again and I naturally stepped in. The kids where a good bit older than me and I had absolutely no lessons in fighting so obviously I got my ass kicked. Was badly bruised and cut up. I thought mom was going to tear into me about getting into another fight. But apparently Mikasa and Armin told her I was defending Armin. She tended to the injuries and stated how proud she was of me. She’d jokingly call me her warrior. Or her soldier. Bit ironic if you think about it.   
“You fought a lot?”  
“Yes all the time in self defense or in defense of Armin. We weren’t well like for our hatred of being caged behind the walls. It was actually the last conversation I had with mom before...”  
“Mikasa had told her I wanted to be a scout...She... well didn’t take it well. So we fought. If she only knew. But I still follow a lot of her lessons.”  
“What Lessons?”  
Eld asks softly.  
“Never give in to those who want to tear you down. Fight for what you believe to be right. Everyone is fighting their own personal war. When you find someone you genuinely care about, never let them fight their war alone. When you find someone you truly trust, let them help you with yours. Then most important lesson she ever taught me, was never shy away from your emotions, They aren’t a weakness, they are what shows you are human.”  
“She sounds like a very wise woman” Oulo stated for once without the attitude.  
“She was. Now I’d like to think of her as an angel watching over me.”  
Eren sees Levi’s eyes widen realizing the powerful meaning of the song.  
Petra hugs Eren softly.   
After that everyone ate in silents. Before going to training.   
After training just before sunset Eren climbs to the roof to watch.   
He feels a presence behind him and he had a feeling he knew who it was.  
“My mother loved sunsets, there was a field just outside the gate, She’d take me there to watch the sunset sometimes.”  
“Eren...?”  
“Hm?”  
“Thank you”.  
Eren glances at Levi with a sigh.  
“Captain...”  
“Levi, when we are alone.”  
He nods in understanding.  
“Mother was an interesting woman. Did you know that song, she made up was one she actually sang to dad when they first got together?”  
“Really?”  
“Yeah she use to say it was a family thing. Dad was a Doctor and sometimes the burden became to much for him and she would sing that song to him. She always sang that song when our battles become to heavy a weight to bare. Then like a magic spell, we’d feel at least a little lighter. Like she was taking some of that weight. Helping us keep moving.”  
“Why sing it for me? If it's something that holds such meaning.”  
Eren closes his eyes.  
“Do you remember the lessons I said this morning?”  
“Yes”.  
“I find that you have become one that I care for.”  
“So you sang that for Mikasa and the blonde kid?”  
“Armin and...no... I do care about them don’t get me wrong. But...I don’t know it feels different. I suppose. Can’t really explain it.”  
Levi nods slightly.  
“So if the weight ever becomes to heavy to bare...Know that you can come to me Levi. I know your my Captain and all, but I’d like us to be friends too.”  
Levi looked at Eren before looking at the sky that was slowly darkening revealing the moon and stars.  
“I use to come up here with two long time friends. Isabel and Farlan. They were like family. Isabel always use to call me big brother. She was the youngest of us. We joined together.”  
Eren listens silently.  
“I...I failed them, it was our first mission out. We three were criminals from the underground forced to join. But it was a plan to get papers from Erwin. A bid to go to the surface.” Levi watched Eren’s face for judgment or reaction. But found none.   
“During the mission we got separated from the rest of our Squad by the rain.”  
We thought it was the perfect time to corner Erwin so I went ahead to do the job thinking the two were safer where they were. I was wrong. A group of Abnormal titans had wiped out a few squads heading back toward were I had left them. I raced back as fast as I could.” He clenched his fists with his knuckles were white. He hasn’t spoken of this to another. Ever. He was startled when he feels Eren's hand rest over his shaking clenched fists.   
“Levi listen to me closely. It was not your fault. You just wanted to make a better life for them. You did not know what would happen. It’s not on you Levi. You were handed a shit situation and tried to make your lives better. I’d highly doubt Isabel would want her big brother carrying guilt over her death.”  
“How could you be so sure?” Levi for the first time in a long time felt truly vulnerable.  
“tell me...Was Isabel ever the type to blame you for anything?”  
He shakes his head no.  
“Let me tell you a story, I promise it is relevant.”  
Levi nod curiously.  
“When I first graduated. We were on the wall of trost, Cleaning the canons. When it was kicked in. Knocking us off the wall. Naturally my first instinct was attack the fucking thing. Not smart by the way, that steam hurts like hell. The thing disappears before I could cut it. Then a commanding officer gives us orders. Me and Mikasa were to be on different squads in different locations. She always felt the need to protect me as I once did her. But I told her not to even think about questioning her orders. I was with Armin and four others. I was taking point. We killed a few. But Wagner was caught and killed. Seeing the death of another sort of set me off. I made the mistake of rushing to kill the thing....I failed to see the one right under me. I and my squad paid for that mistake. I hit the roof after it jumped and bit off my leg. Mind you I hadn’t even been aware of my abilities at that point. The others were killed as I bled out. But then I hear Armin scream as he was being swallowed alive.”  
Levi takes a sharp breath not having heard any of this. I manage to not only get up but grab Armin from inside the titan and throw him out to the roof, to safety. I go to climb out when the little strength I had gathered to protect Armin gave out. The jaws snap shut taking off my arm and i’m swallow whole. As far as Anyone knew at the time I was dead.”  
Levi looked horrified.   
“Now tell me was Mikasa at fault for not disobeying Orders? Was Armin, because It was him I was saving?”  
“No not at all. No one was at fault except the titans.”  
Eren gives him a pointed look.  
“And had I actually died I wouldn’t have blamed anyone, nor want anyone to carry that guilt.”  
Levi understood his point. He was Isabel and Levi was his two friends.  
Eren pulls Levi into a tight hug. It was only then Levi realized he was crying. But for the life of him he couldn’t stop or push Eren away. Instead he let himself final truly grieve for the first time in years. Returning the embrace as if seeking strength from Eren. A strength that he freely gave. Eren just sat there holding him as he cried.   
After a while Eren noticed Levi had fallen asleep and he lifts him up, carrying him to his room and putting him to bed. But when he went to straighten he found he couldn’t as Levi in his sleep was clutching his shirt. Not wanting to wake him he lays next to him. Levi seemed to curl into his side and Eren couldn’t help but wrap an arm around him as he fell into a peaceful sleep.  
The next morning Levi groan as he wakes up feeling very warm. He blinks and turn bright red when he noticed he was in his bed cuddling into Eren.  
Eren must have felt him wake up and opened his eyes.  
“Morning Levi.”  
“W...what?”  
“I went to lay you in bed but you didn’t seem to want to let go of my shirt.”  
The blush deepened “Sorry”.  
“It’s fine, I really don’t mind.”  
Eren sits put and rubs his eyes. The adorable picture he made Levi swallow and turn red again.   
He had no idea why he was reacting so much to Eren.   
“Levi?”  
“Hmm?”  
“We should get ready for breakfast.”  
“R...right let's go.”  
A few days pass since that night. Levi actually slept well. But then the night came for the Insomnia to return. He laid in bed a while debating whether or not to go to Eren. After a while he caved and made his way down to Eren. When he enters he sees Eren awake and shirtless the blanket covering his lower half.   
“Levi? What is it?” Eren looked red, very red.  
“I was having trouble sleeping...”  
“Would you like me to help again?”  
“If you wouldn’t mind.”  
“I don’t mind. Just...Um...I need to dress.”  
“Not a fan of being shirtless with others around?” Levi teased.  
Erens blush darkened and spread.  
“If I was just shirtless i’d have much less of an issue.”  
Now it was Levi’s turn to blush.  
“O...oh. I’ll just wait out there.”  
He quickly steps out of the room and Eren quickly dress before they head back to Levi’s room.  
“Eren...”  
“Hm?”  
“Since your helping me and all...You could sleep in here tonight. You know. If you want.”  
Eren gives him a soft smile before doing the same thing he had the first night.   
A pattern seemed to be created between them and they slowly get closer to each other. A month passes then the day of the Mission came. The loss of squad Levi. Now Eren was awake and pacing his cell. Angry and frustrated and blaming himself. Enraged he punches the wall of his cell. He was shaking violently in grief and anger. Suddenly he feels arms wrap around him. His eyes close.  
“It wasn’t your fault. The only one to blame is that damn female titan. Eren please calm down.”  
He turns in the arms and faces Levi who looked grief stricken. Tears in his eyes.  
Eren without thought rests a hand on his cheek wiping his tears away with a gentle caress of him thumb. Levi leans into the touch.  
“I’m sorry” Eren whispered sadly.  
“Don’t be it isn’t on you.”  
“I should have trusted my instinct, I should have shifted”.  
“Eren no. We almost lost you too today. If you had shifted earlier... I may not have made it to you in time.”  
“Yes We lost the others and their loss hurts deeply. But Eren. You have no clue how scared I was that I had lost you too.”  
“I’m just a weapon Levi. I’m the scouts weapon. No more then a tamed monster.”  
“NO NEVER SAY THAT EREN! YOU ARE JUST AS HUMAN AS ME! OR ANYONE ELSE! SO WHAT IF YOU HAVE THE ABILITY TO SHIFT INTO A TITAN! YOUR HUMAN DAMN IT AND I LOVE YOU SO NEVER TALK LIKE THAT AGAIN!”  
Levi suddenly tenses realizing what he had just said. He also noticed Eren froze in his arms.  
“You...can you repeat that, i’m not sure I heard you right”.  
Eren’s voice was shaking and pleading.  
“I love you Eren. I don’t know when exactly I realized it. Or started to. But I do. So never call yourself that again. Never talk about yourself like that.”  
Eren’s lips met Levis in deep firm yet almost desperate kiss.  
He pulls away tears in his eyes.  
“I love you Levi. So much. I love you.”  
That night they slept in eachothers arms, seeking comfort, strength and love from each other. Knowing neither was alone and that their friends, family and comrades were watching over them. 


End file.
